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The Whitney M Young Jr. Service Award

Purpose

The purpose of the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award is to recognize outstanding services by an adult individual or an organization for demonstrated involvement in the development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income urban backgrounds— this is in fulfillment of Dr. Young’s dream of justice and equality for all.

Council Procedures

1. Recipients are approved nationally through nomination by a local council. (Councils should

2. The award is presented to people at all levels of the organization (executive board, district Scouters, unit personnel) and to people of all races and income levels.

3. The council’s annual quota of awards shall not exceed the number of districts in the council. Emphasis is on being selective, with no intention that the full quota must be used every year. The quota is noncumulative.

4. The council president designates a committee to administer the award for the council. This

may be a special Whitney M. Young Jr. Award committee or the council’s advancement and recognition
committee, Silver Beaver committee, or inner-city/rural advisory committee. The committee
should include at least one person who is familiar with low-income urban and/or rural outreach. The Scout executive or a designated staff member serves as adviser to the committee.

5. The committee screens, prioritizes, and selects worthy nominees. Nominations may be submitted

to the committee by committee members, professional staff, or any other registered Scouter.

6. Nominations are then submitted by the local council to the Scoutreach Division at the national office. Please allow 60 days for review and consideration of approval by a national volunteer

committee and delivery of the award. Approval should be received before the award is announced or presented.

7. Select a highly visible event with an appropriate ceremony to present the award. Council and district appreciation dinners, annual business meetings, testimonial dinners, or a major function

that the recipient is associated with provide excellent settings for the award presentation.

8. The presentation might also involve other community agencies that are actively involved with rural or low-income urban outreach (such as the Urban League, for which Whitney Young served as national executive director).

9. Use the publicity kit that is sent to councils with each approved award. It contains press releases, a sample presentation outline, publication-quality photos, and information about Whitney Young.